Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 5, 2020
Issue No. 335
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Reflections of a Sports Reporter,
by Bruce Macgowan
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Pete Rose (aka Charlie Hustle) with sports reporter Bruce Macgowan, 1986
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Sports broadcasting
is a curious business but it is something I’ve been lucky enough to have done for 44 years.
When I was 15, I decided this was what I wanted to do for a living. I loved listening to announcers Russ Hodges, Lon Simmons and Bill King describing the exciting exploits of the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Golden State Warriors and Oakland Raiders.
I wanted to be a play-by-play announcer because that meant the opportunity to be at games, relaying the action to the fans listening and not regurgitating scores and highlights in some TV studio or answering repetitive questions from fans on a radio talk show.
Alas, I realized the opportunities for breaking into ‘the business’ meant cutting my teeth in small towns. For the first three-plus years of my career I was a DJ for a radio station in Auburn (CA) and then worked as a TV sportscaster in Eureka (CA).
In the late 1970s I got my first big breaks and had jobs doing TV sports in Portland, sports reporting and sports talk shows on Seattle radio, and finally a job with a radio network in New York City doing live updates and features for the 1400 radio stations which carried our programming.
I returned to the Bay Area late in 1981, just in time to cover the 49ers' first Super Bowl run. I ended up doing a lot of radio network freelance assignments for the next six years before hooking up with the new all-sports station
KNBR 680 AM, The Sports Leader.
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Macgowan in the studios of radio station KNBR 680 AM, The Sports Leader
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The near 18-year experience of working at The Sports Leader was certainly the highlight of my career. I traveled all over the country covering our local teams, hosted numerous talk shows, handled sports updates in the mornings and afternoons, reported live from the ball parks and team practice facilities and even got to do a little play-by-play and side line work.
After leaving KNBR I experienced the enjoyment of working in TV again with NBC Sports Bay Area, doing minor league baseball play-by-play, hosting a series of on-stage conversations with Bay Area sports legends, fitting in some freelance writing and working for nine years combined as a sportscaster for KGO radio and KCBS radio.
I am currently working on a book which gives fans a special look at some of the great teams we’ve had over the last 40 years in the Bay Area and the athletes and games I’ve covered. I will highlight some of the personalities and great moments and unusual stories that you may not have heard about. I hope the collection will be not only of interest to the hardcore sports fan but to the casual fan as well.
I haven’t picked a name for the book yet, but then I haven’t even finish writing it either. So stay tuned!
Bruce Macgowan
San Francisco, CA
June, 2020
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Macgowan working the phones in the press box of Candlestick Park, 1997. Also shown (rear) is Jeff Fletcher, former San Francisco Giants beat writer.
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Gems
Over the years we have reviewed thousands of photos to bring you the finest work from some of the Bay Area's top sports photographers. Each week during the Coronavirus-induced sports lull we will bring you one of our favorites.
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So close!
Cal wide receiver Makai Polk (17) is pushed out of bounds at the
one-yard line by Illinois defensive back Sydney Brown (30) after a 38-yard completion in the second quarter. Cal (8-5) would defeat Illinois (6-7), 35-20, in the 2019 Redbox Bowl at Levi's Stadium on Dec. 30 in Santa Clara. To view an annotated game photo album, visit our
Facebook Page
and be sure to LIKE us.
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The BEST Bay Area sports photos from
Michael Zagaris, Ed Jay, Rich Yee, Darren Yamashita,
Ron Sellers, Alex Ho, Rob Edwards, Kenneth Wong,
Timothy Reynolds and Larry Rosa
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Where The Bay Comes To Play!
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"It's an ocean planet. As the oceans go, so goes the planet."
-- Bill Carvalho, Wild Planet founder and president
Wild Planet Foods has been honored with TWO awards by Whole Foods Market -- Global Supplier of the Year AND Environmental Stewardship! The annual awards recognize suppliers who embody Whole Foods Market's mission and values through a proven commitment to quality, environmental stewardship, organic integrity, innovation,
and partnership.
More Awards and Counting!
Prevention
-- 100 Cleanest Packaged Food Awards
Men's Health
-- 125 Best Foods for Men
Prevention
-- Eat Clean Best Packaged Foods
Every Day with Rachael Ray
-- Brand New Buy
Better Homes and Gardens
-- Catch of the Day
Clean Eating
-- Clean Choice Awards
Natural Health
-- 3rd Annual Good Food Awards
Runner's World
-- Good Catch
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On Aug. 5, 2017 Pablo Sandoval returned to the field in a San Francisco Giants uniform, starting at third base. However, I was the Giant with the most appearances at third base for the 2017 season, with 49.
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Odds to win the 2020 World Series
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San Francisco Giants -- 300/1
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Oakland Athletics -- 30/1
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The formula for thwarting Covid-19
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The Sports' Safety Equation
By Andy Dolich
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Like many sports fans,
I’ve been confused as to how the five major pro sports in North America are figuring out the How, What, When, Where and Why relating to the manner in which they are planning their comeback or start of their 2020 seasons. There doesn’t seem to be simple solutions as to what is the most intelligent strategy to keep everyone safe and sound.
Having spent time in the NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL and NASL, there are a few basic points that have to be entered into every equation that leagues, teams, medical authorities, players, governments and facility managers are using to get it right. Remember Covid-19 is a killer.
The Basics of Pro Sports in the Midst of Covid-19
Number of Teams
32 -- NFL
30 -- NBA
30 -- MLB
30 -- NHL
26 -- MLS
Total number of teams: 148
Total Leagues: Five
Roster Size
NFL –53 x 32 = 1,696 players
NBA – 15 x 30 = 450 players
MLB – 25 x 30 = 750 players
NHL – 20 x 30 = 600 players
MLS – 18 x 26 = 468 players
Total number of players: 3,964
Throw in a few hundred others on practice squads, injured lists, coaches, trainers and essential team support staffers.
Locations
NFL -- 23 States, 30 US cities
NBA -- 22 states, 27 US cities and Toronto, Canada
MLB -- 26 states, 28 US cities and Toronto, Canada
NHL -- 9 states and 7 Canadian cities (Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver)
MLS -- 16 states, 22 US cities and 3 Canadian cities (Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver)
Now add in:
* Hundreds of workers at the venues the teams are using to play their games
* Percentage of fans which some sports may allow to sit in social distanced sections
* Hundreds of hotel staff at the facilities the players are staying at
* Transportation employees ferrying players and staff back and forth to venues
* Now factor in the health officials from global, federal, state, and county levels for their protocols relating to testing, masking, quarantining and social distancing
What will the protocols be for players and staff who will test positive for
Covid-19?
If you have a PhD in Epidemiology please send us your overview on how this is all going to work. If not, please refer to the equation I have included at the top of this piece. When you have figured out how to guarantee 100% safety for all involved, please give me a call: 1-800-All-GOOD.
* * * *
Andy Dolich has over five decades of leadership in the sports industry, including executive positions in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, pro soccer and lacrosse. Presently Dolich is COO of the Fan Controlled Football League (FCFL) and teaches sports business at Stanford's School of Continuing Studies.
Dolich is also co-author of the new book:
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In the last seasons of the Oakland Raiders in Oakland,
Ultimate Sports Guide
photographer Ed Jay collected images and stories of some of the Raiders most passionate and beloved fans. To view and read their stories, click on
this link
and revisit your all-time favorites. Above,
Andrea Sedano, Dre of the Dead
.
Photo Ed Jay.
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Who Am I?
San Francisco Giants infielder Eduardo Nunez!
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On July of 2016 the Minnesota Twins traded Eduardo Núñez to the San Francisco Giants for left-handed minor league pitcher Adalberto Mejia. In 2017 Núñez played in 76 games, batting .308 with 18 stolen bases, four home runs, and 31 RBI. On July 25 of 2017, with the return of Pablo Sandoval, Núñez was traded to the Boston Red Sox for minor league pitchers Shaun Anderson and Gregory Santos. Nunez finished his Giants career with more 2017 appearances at third base than Sandoval, with 49.
To view an annotated game photo album, visit our
Facebook Page
.
Concept and photo
by Darren Yamashita
.
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Andrea Mallis, Astrologer, discusses current events and astrology & sports
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Andrea Mallis is a spiritual teacher who strongly believes in empowering people. She has been a full-service astrologer for over 25 years.
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The 2019 Fall/Winter edition of the
Ultimate Sports Guide
, a San Francisco Bay Area sports reference publication published twice a year for avid Bay Area and Northern California sports fans, is in the house. The
Ultimate Sports Guide
is distributed free of charge or may be ordered via subscription. Each seasonal edition provides professional and collegiate team coverage through commentary, photo essays and player profiles. To order, visit
www.ultimatesportsguide.net
or send $5 to:
Ultimate Sports Guide
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Back Issues
not to be missed!
Offering superb photography and
entertaining chronicles
*
Click
here
for 2019 editions.
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WEEKLY SPORTS CALENDAR
Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 5, 2020
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All games for major and minor league sports, including collegiate and high school teams,
have been cancelled
.
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Enjoy the
Under the ultra-skilled leadership of Cal graduate Ricky Liu, a team of talented Cal students assembled the elegant
Ultimate Sports Guide
website for your readers. Ricky's team included Natalie Leung, Yafei Liang and Kasey Woo. Visit
www.ultimatesportsguide.net
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Need a website designed or tuned up?
We can help!
Write: sportstoday@ultimatesportsguide.net
or call (510) 845-2035
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Join Us As A Sponsor!
Economical and rewarding.
Write: sportstoday@ultimatesportsguide.net
or call (510) 845-2035
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The vast majority of student-athletes dreaming of athletic stardom won't make it to the pros. Yet, the discipline and skills they've developed while balancing a sport and academics make them ideally s
uited for satisfying careers elsewhere. In
20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes Who Won't Go Pro
,
the authors draw on personal experience, interviews, expert opinion, and industry data to provide a game plan for student-athletes through key transitions at each stage of their careers, from high school through college and beyond. Modeled on Stephen Covey's
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
, this book provides a much-needed strategy for achieving career success. Readable and concise, it will be a valuable tool for students, parents, and sports administrators. To order,
click here.
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Pleasanton, CA 94588-2723
CalBRE License #:01770629
Agent 510.512.2145
Office 925.847.8900
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Ultimate Sports Guide
P.O. Box 4515
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-845-2035
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